1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to television systems. In particular, this invention relates to a 360 degree closed circuit television system which insets a moving target against a background scene so as to simulate the motion of a real target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, numerous television and other multiple channel video display systems have been developed to probe images, modelboards, scenes, or the like at one place and display them at another place. Such television and other video display systems have often been utilized in training devices so as to provide for the training of military personnel in a realistic environment at a considerable cost savings. Most such systems of the prior art are well known to the artisan, thereby obviating the need for a further discussion thereof.
However, there are several prior art devices which are of some significance, inasmuch as they at least remotely or indirectly concern subject matter that is pertinent to the system constituting the subject invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,948 to Hanns H. Wolff discloses a plurality of television cameras mounted on a first rotating drum so that each scans a 360 degree field of view, and a plurality of television projectors adapted to receive the video output of the television cameras, and mounted on a second rotating drum which rotates in synchronism with the first rotating drum. The television projectors, in turn, project a view onto a 360 degree cylindrical screen. The cameras and projectors scan a narrow, approximately vertical line while the rotational motion of the drums effects horizontal scanning.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,644 to Edward A. Petrocelli, and Robert G. Palmer discloses a multiple projection television system which utilizes a plurality of television projectors, each of which projects a picture on a respective sector of a circular screen. Circuitry is provided for synchronizing the projectors with the cameras so that a ship may be caused to move across a screen. In addition, the aforementioned circuitry enables any projector to project video information from any or all cameras.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,435 to John W. Herndon discloses a head trackable wide angle visual system which probes a model board and causes selected image portions of the model board to be projected on a trio of display sectors located on the inside of a spherical screen, with the view of the modelboard being displayed on the screen in accordance with control signals that are proportional to the turning of the head of a trainee pilot. A head position sensor, a cockpit, a switching logic circuit, a synchronization signal generator, a trio of video switches, the aforementioned screen, and left, middle, and right light projectors are combined to provide such effects so as to simulate a real-life pilot training environment from a model thereof.
From an inspection of the aforementioned and other similar patents, it may be inferred that many attempts have been made to simulate real life training scenes or other scenes by mechanical, electrical, or optical means. However, such multiple channel video display systems of the prior art ordinarily leave something to be desired in that the visual images displayed thereby are often distorted due to the improper matching of picture elements across adjacent screen elements. In addition, the aforementioned system of the prior art are complex, do not operate in exactly the same manner as the subject invention, and contain a combination of elements that is somewhat different from the present invention.